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Jack West Jr and the Hero's Helmet
Jack West Jr and the Hero's Helmet is a short prequel story by Matthew Reilly, chronologically being the first in the Huntsman Series, being set prior to Seven Ancient Wonders. Synopsis Christmas Eve, 1994. Jack West Jr, following his decision to resign from the Australian SAS, only to be assigned to Max Epper's Capstone mission, is following up on his own theory regarding the Temple of Dendur. He and Epper have received permission from New York's Metropolitan Museum to examine the Temple non-destructively, which was relocated brick-by-brick to the museum from its original location. Once the museum closes, Jack and Epper set to work, watched by a man in a trench coat they assume is with the two museum security guards with them. Jack has theorised that within one of the bricks of the Temple is the Knife of Osiris, and through the use of a Ground Penetrating Radar is able to confirm it. At that exact moment, the fire alarm goes off and Jack smells smoke, and he and Epper are forced to evacuate along with everyone else as a squad of firemen enter the museum. Within minutes they re-emerge, stating that the alarm was set of because of a faulty fuse. However, a nearby boy notes that though their firetruck is numbered 17, the type of tuck does not match the one that the real number 17 firetruck is. Jack is suspicious, particularly when another group of firetrucks begin approaching the museum, so he sends Epper back inside. Epper then calls Jack to confirm the worst; the brick containing the Knife of Osiris has been taken. Jack immediately jumps onto the firetruck of the false firemen, and as they speed away from the museum, Jack begins fighting with one of the impostors. During their fight, Jack notices that the man had a tattoo on his wrist identifying him as a member of Opus Dei, an obscure group within the Catholic Church. Though surprised by their interest in the Knife, Jack is forced to throw the man off the firetruck, inadvertently keeping a hold of his fireman's helmet. With the rest of the impostor firemen unaware of his presence, Jack is surprised when they arrive at the St. Patrick's Cathedral, and begins following the men to an adjoining alley. However Jack is surprised to see most of the false firemen already dead, their leader held at gun point by the Trench Coat Man, and whom now holds the brick with the Knife. This man tells the remaining fireman that the Knife belongs to his master, and that it is not yet time to use the keyblade, right before he executes the fireman. Jack is able to determine that this mysterious man is an assassin, but without any weapons of his own, knows he cannot take on this man, and so reluctantly watches as the Trench Coat Man departs. In the years following, Jack cannot help but ponder the assassin's use of the word keyblade, and keeps the fireman's helmet he retrieved, as a reminder that not everyone is who they seem. Characters *Jack West Jr *Max Epper *Trench Coat Guy *False Firemen Huntsman Series *''Jack West Jr and the Hero's Helmet'' *''Seven Ancient Wonders'' *''The Six Sacred Stones'' *''The Five Greatest Warriors'' *''The Four Legendary Kingdoms'' *''The Three Secret Cities'' Trivia *This is the second prequel to a novel that Matthew Reilly has written. *''Jack West Jr and the Hero's Helmet'' is set before the events of Seven Ancient Wonders. *It is revealed Jack has not yet learned that the Catholic Church is a diverted Sun Cult that originated from Egyptian culture. Category:Huntsman Series Category:Short Stories